I have located a Pearson 33 here in Texas that appears to have been reasonably well taken care of. International gas engine has had a valve job, wheel steering added, and has an included Westerbeke diesel. The rest of the boat is pretty bare bones but thats kinda good as electronics are getting better and cheaper. Besides, barring any unforseen problems, the $$$$ is very attractive. This model has a 4'' draft plus a swing keel. Accoriding to the owner, the boat has recently had a dive inspect the bottom and said all looked fine and cleaned the prop. My question to you ''sailing guru''s" is: How well build is this boat and will she make a good cruiser????? Thanks!

Two P33''s were for sale on my dock within the last year, a ''76 and a ''86 . . . both sold fairly quickly @ 15% to 20% below asking price, about average. Both buyers are good friends and had nothing but good things to say about their boats. I have sailed on the ''86, and was impressed by the apparent quality, ease of handling and solid, balanced feel. A lot of boat for the money.

Never believe what the owner tells you until a good surveyor completes his report. The gelcoat on my friend''s ''86 P33 needed to be peeled and barrier-coated below the boot stripe, due to some serious blister problems. The owner had initially stated to the buyer that his diver gave the bottom a thumbs-up; but the buyer''s surveyor, of course, caught it. Expensive fix, but accounted for in the purchase price.

You don''t state a year, and as TrueBlue points out, Pearson made 2 different 33 footers. The first was in the ''70''s (which I gather that is what you''re looking at with the gas engine and wheel steering added) and starting in 1986, the P-33-2. Very different boats, but both very solid, well made, and both sail well. Assuming it is a 1970''s vintage P-33, I suggest joining the Pearson email list here on Sailnet and asking your questions there because there are a couple of people on that list with that boat.

If it''s in fact a P-33-2 you''re looking at, email me directly because I own a 1988 model.

And TrueBlue is correct -- don''t believe what the current owner says about a boat. Hire a good surveyor and have the boat hauled for a good look at the bottom -- and everything else.

Disclaimer: I''ve owned two Pearsons and love the boats. Hard to beat them for value and sailing ability.

Pearson built four 33''ers.
Between ''63 and''67 the Vanguard was built and was a full keel with cutaway forefoot(full modified)And attached wooden rudder.
Between ''75 and ''80 they built the 10M which is a fin keel with external ballast and a draft of 5''11" with a skeg rudder.
This model will sail far better than the Vanguard and the ''70 to ''75 model.
Personally, I know Pearsons are over-rated. People like to repeat what they''ve heard. I''ve been on them and have repaired them. Besides I hate interior overhead fiberglass liners and the Pearsons have plenty of them but they are far from junk.

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